Experts from various organizations such as Solutions for Our Climate, Global Climate and Health Alliance, and World Resources Institute participated in a unique exercise at the United Nations climate talks in Azerbaijan. They played a board game designed to simulate the challenges of combating global warming. In the game, players take on roles representing the United States, China, Europe, and the rest of the world.
Each player faces the consequences of extreme weather and climate crises while working on projects to reduce emissions. Throughout the gameplay, players had to tackle various crisis scenarios indicated by yellow-red cards, such as “Storms” and “Sea Level Rise.” These posed significant setbacks. Blue cards representing positive local projects, like improving fertilizer efficiency or implementing universal public transport, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite their best efforts, in each game session, the global temperature rose past the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold established in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Experts play climate crisis game
The gaming experience highlighted the difficulties of mitigating climate change effectively and quickly enough.
During one round, which took about 20 minutes, the global temperature increased to 1.45 degrees Celsius (2.61 degrees Fahrenheit). Borami Seo, head of food and agriculture at Solutions for Our Climate in South Korea, noted the rapid temperature rise despite choosing to represent Europe, known for its strong climate policies and financial aid. “I thought this game was supposed to give us hope.
I’m not gaining any hope,” Seo expressed, reflecting the game’s realistic portrayal of the complexities and urgency of climate action. The game sessions mirrored real-world challenges and underscored the urgency for global cooperation and innovative solutions in addressing climate change. They emphasized the high stakes and pressing nature of the issue discussed at COP29.
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